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  Alec turned around to find that a group of four boys had surrounded him, all of whom seemed to be close to his age. Two warriors, a shooter, and a healer. No one seemed willing to help him. They all had a status similar to his, except for the leader, one of the warriors, who had an attack power of over 100. Alec wasn’t the kind of person who refused a fight, much less the type who would run away from anyone. Knowing he had no hope, the most he could do was endure long enough for one of the teachers or an older student to appear and stop them.

  "On second thought, I'll deal with him alone. I am going to show all my first-year classmates that I am going to win the school's annual tournament," said the group leader, pushing away the rest.

  James

  Class: Warrior

  Specialization: Light

  HP: 250/250

  Attack: 110

  Defense: 60 + 25

  Agility: 90 + 20

  Wisdom: 70

  Energy: 60/60

  Items:

  Plume armor: + 25 defense

  Golden shoes: + 20 agility

  Alec knew how difficult it would be to face him. If he had difficulties with Tommy's speed, it would be impossible to predict the movements of the boy in front of him. A cluster of people circled around them, wanting to watch the fight unfolding in front of their eyes. He could see by their young faces that they were almost all freshmen and some were second-year students. They had different clothes and much better status. Alec dropped the bag with his belongings on the floor and focused his gaze on the blond boy, who had a steep nose with a few freckles around him, and a sleek body. He was a little taller than Alec, and his voice was thick. The differences between them were visible - Alec wore black buckled slacks and a brown T-shirt that disguised the colors’ stain due to how old it was while his rival had a clean white shirt with a protective coat and no creases, shiny shoes, and a pair of slacks with thin slices that allowed him to move without difficulty.

  Time seemed to be in slow motion as the two new students let the breeze move between them, aware of any suspicious movement by their adversary. Alec knew that to win he needed to find a way to immobilize him, or at least slow him down. James's body seemed to disintegrate in front of everyone, and in a short space of time, he reappeared, punching Alec in his face and throwing him to the floor. His rapid movements was imperceptible to the eyes of those who applauded him and commented on his fantastic abilities. Alec had struggled too hard to let himself go so easily. The promise he had made to Tommy when they were younger was still burning in his memory. He closed his fist, clenched his teeth, and got up.

  "How dare you stand up? Weren’t you just punched? People like you are not welcome here."

  "James, we better go before one of the teachers arrives," said a green-eyed, boy whose dark skin contrasted with the white fabric of his shirt and thick lips, almost as if he had to make an effort to close them without leaving a small gap between.

  He had a badge fastened on his shirt, which proclaimed his name in large letters, Max. Unlike the other three companions, he didn’t seem interested in the quarrel, but rather how it would reflect in the way teachers would see him if they were caught.

  Max

  Class: Healer

  Specialization: None

  HP: 250/250

  Attack: 20 + 20

  Defense: 100

  Agility: 30

  Wisdom: 60

  Items:

  Strength Bracelet: + 20 attack

  "I'm not leaving before I show this young man the difference between someone lucky enough to survive and someone who lives the way he wants to," James said, followed by a megalomaniacal laugh.

  Again, his body dissipated, and he headed toward his enemy. Alec raised a fire barrier in front of him. His specialty wasn’t defense, but he had fought so many times against Tommy that he had learned how to defend himself from a warrior. Speed didn’t matter if they couldn’t reach him. However, he couldn’t keep the barrier forever, it was slowly draining his strength and the time to take an offensive approach was coming. Surprisingly, the fire didn’t spread through the grass. Alec had not even remembered the consequences of fire in a public place until the screams of the pseudo-public had awakened him to the danger. He was so focused on the battle that everything around him had dissipated.

  As much as the fight resembled the final he had had recently, Alec knew victory would not be achieved in the same way. James stepped back, swung, and taking advantage of the disappearance of the barrier, ran toward Alec, who had a slight smile on the corner of his mouth. He finally had a plan and was about to put it to use. James stretched out his arm, shouting "Dominating Fist," and when he was within yards of Alec, a rubber bullet grazed his cheek and hit the floor, causing a small explosion that sent them both to opposite sides of the floor.

  "Enough. I know that as first-year students you are excited to start training, but you’re old enough to think twice before endangering your and others safety," said a female voice coming from the second floor, which was only a few meters from where their childish fight was taking place.

  All eyes stared at the medium-sized window, where a girl with long blue hair perched with a gun on her shoulder.

  Matilda

  Class: Shooter

  Specialization: Distraction

  HP: 450/450

  Attack: 200 + 30

  Defense: 120 + 30

  Agility: 200

  Wisdom: 180

  Items:

  Gun X-200: + 30 attack

  Sphinx pendant: + 30 defense

  Her hair fluttered, clinging to her thick wine-colored lips that offered a more adult aspect to her pale young face. She jumped out of the window and landed perfectly, much to the surprise of the students’ who had gathered there. She walked gracefully and didn’t wear the official academy’s clothes unlike most. She wore a black top that matched the brownish-green color of her pants and her voice had a strong, imperative tone. She ordered everyone to disperse except Alec. She ordered him to stay so she could know what had caused this incident so it wouldn’t reoccur.

  "We are proud to maintain a civilized and willing environment for all students. It doesn’t matter where they are from, who they are, or how much power they have. I presume they tried to get into your head for not being from a rich city, right? They always do this. It doesn’t matter how old they are, they still act like kids. That's what happens when parents let them do everything. They grow up thinking they’re better and entitled to even the tiniest things."

  Alec didn’t confirm it, but he didn’t deny it either. He looked serene and apologized for the inconvenience. He knew he shouldn’t have let himself go, that he was helping people believe that the stereotype they had of people like him was right. He adjusted his clothes and grabbed his bag.

  "Where's building 3?" He asked, calmly, keeping his shoulders narrow.

  "I'll take you. There’s also something I must take care in there" she said, smiling and showing her white teeth perfectly aligned, “You know, there are people here who are not too fond of inviting outsiders in. For them, only rich people should study here. Don’t worry. They are very vocal about this, but they are only a minority. Let’s go," she said, starting to walk as soon as she finished speaking.

  Alec nodded, signaling that he was aware of what she was saying, but didn’t answer. Silence was one of his weapons and he wasn’t going to let his guard down. He followed at her side, to building three. There were dozens of students scattered around campus, most of whom still had eyes on him. His clothes called attention, they made him the decoy he tried to avoid being.

  "Don’t worry. You will get new clothes, including the official ones. The first few days will be complicated, but you will get used to it. The previous year winner will also give you a visit and hopefully, answer all your doubts,” she said, reinforcing the idea that everything was going to go well.

  "Matilda, who is this?" Asked a young man, who appeared behind them.

  Taller
than Alec, with white hair and a sword at his waist, he approached them, highlighting that he had a stature and posture that should be envied. His stats were like nothing Alec had ever witnessed. He remained calm, but within him, little clicks of excitement illuminated his body. The guy’s stats were all above 300, not including items that gave boosts of 30 to 50 points. A perfect knight specimen. He moved haughtily, making his presence a gift rather than a nuisance. He focused on the stranger, staring at him from top to bottom, eventually stretching his arm for a handshake.

  "You’re the new kid from one of the poor cities, right? I am Alma, a third-year student, and also president of the students’ association. Any problems you have, feel free to talk to me,” he said as they greeted each other, "Matilda, I've been looking for you. Students are waiting for the principal. He must be... solving that. Go call him, but don’t pressure him.”

  Alma

  Class: Knight

  Specialization: Destroyer

  HP: 550/550

  Attack: 320 + 50

  Defense: 270 + 40

  Agility: 300

  Wisdom: 320

  Items:

  Excalypse Sword: + 50 attack

  Superhuman Armor: + 40 defense

  She replied with a simple "Yes." and a forced yawn. She respected his orders but wasn’t particularly happy to obey them. She said goodbye to Alec, explaining to him that he only had to go upstairs, turn right and enter the second door.

  Alec, once again, was left all alone. He was fascinated with the world around him. From the buildings whose oval ceilings shone with the reflection of the sun, the clean scent he wasn’t accustomed to, to how strong some people were. Before arriving at the academy, it would be unthinkable for someone so powerful, someone he longed to one day reach.

  He followed Matilda's directions. On top of one of the beds, there were three pairs of clothes - an official set of the academy with the symbol on the white shirt, the red robe, and the black pants and two casual sets, with different colors, for everyday situations. On top of the official set was a paper, still freshly painted, which informed him that it was the clothes he was supposed to wear to the presentation.

  "Welcome.” Someone murmured inside the room.

  The presence of someone in the room was undeniable, although Alec couldn’t see anyone no matter how much he tried. There were two brown beds, a large closet for more than two people, and a small but useful bedside table beside each bed. Alec's eyes darted across the room again, slowly, following the trail of incense. He focused on the right corner and snapped his fingers producing a small flame on the tips of his fingers.

  "Calm down, please. I was just joking around."

  A green-eyed boy with hazel-colored brown hair and a body that made Alec look small appeared in front of him. His teeth gritted, and his eyes roamed for a place to hide. His pink cheeks made it clear that shyness kept him from saying anything else. Stuck in his own insecurities, he sought a peaceful solution by a common gesture - he put both hands together, glued them to his body, and strove to apologize without making a sound.

  "Who are you?" Alec asked, extinguishing the flame but keeping the face of his hand toward the boy.

  "I'm Neil, your roommate." He replied, his head lowered and his voice wavering as he spoke, "I know I'm not good at dealing with people. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  "You didn’t scare me," Alec replied.

  "You seemed scared when you heard my voice."

  "I wasn’t," Alec said, looking at the boy’s face, stoic as usual.

  Neil's contagious laughter filled the room leaving the dimples on his cheeks to stand out from the rest of his body.

  Neil

  Class: Ninja

  Specialization: None

  HP: 220/220

  Attack: 70

  Defense: 90 + 30

  Agility: 30

  Wisdom: 100

  Items:

  Colorless t-shirt: + 30 defense

  "Shouldn’t you be at the director's lecture?" Alec asked, remembering Tommy's words about making friends.

  "I should, but I didn’t want to go alone. I knew you were coming so I decided to wait."

  "And tried to scare me."

  "And I did scare you."

  This time they both smiled shyly, just a curve at the corner of their lips. There was a certain spirit of companionship, and the subtle idea that many adventures awaited them hung in the air.

  Alec changed his clothes, dressed in the official academy’s clothes while Neil followed his example. He left his clothes, whose colors fit the place where they were, on the bed. Alec's open mouth caught his attention, and he asked him if he had ever seen a shirt with no color. Alec frowned and replied with a confused look, "What?"

  "It's part of the latest ninja fashion. An essential good, even. It allows us to blend into different environments and keep a close eye on others without being seen.”

  "Can other classes use it?" Asked Alec, curious about this new discovery.

  "They can, but do you know any other class that can control their breathing and remain almost like a fly who can get closer to its target without being noticed?"

  "Got it. I am going. Are you coming? We are already late."

  "Yes of course. Thank you." Neil replied shyly, smiling from ear to ear.

  His huge height made it difficult for him to pass through the door without letting a part of his body pass first, and only then the rest. The gleaming smile was replaced by a low-spirited, closed-lipped and sad-eyed look.

  "When they read, I was a ninja they surely didn’t think there were ninjas like me. I suppose gods make mistakes too,” he said, followed by a contradictory laugh, trying to obscure how sad he felt.

  Alec slapped him on the back and smiled. He came from a place where people with doubts died fast. There was no time for hesitations or problems that at first glance didn’t require full attention. Not knowing what to say, Alec let the silence take over.

  Neil seemed to know all the corners and directions, so Alec followed, taking a few seconds to look around, noticing details that he hadn’t seen before. The orange-smudged leaves on the floor, and the way they mingled with the green campus gardens that stretched for miles, and even the eccentric clothes of students running to other buildings, cheerful-eyed and unconcerned.

  The shock left Alec upset, stopping halfway, disbelieving at such differences by comparing the risky situations he was accustomed to. It was customary to see young men running from danger, with dusty shirts with little rocks undone in their hairs and fear stamped on their faces. Neil asked him if everything was alright, and Alec said yes, nodding, and adding that they better hurry up.

  They went to Building 1, the largest of them all, with an oval, crystal ceiling, and newly renovated white walls, as people could tell from the dozens of posters scattered around the building, telling students to be careful with the fresh paint. They went in and followed the crowd that had built up in front of one of the doors. The sound of a bell echoed throughout the building, as did a husky, serious voice that was heard in the corridors.

  The director had begun his speech. He was much younger than Alec expected, in his 30s, almost 40, with long white hair, gray eyebrows, and a defined jawline. No one dared to interrupt him. Despite Alec and Neil's delay, no one dispersed as they climbed the staircase in search of a place to sit. There was an aura of mysticism, and even worship surrounding the room, whose epicenter was right below director Loras. Unlike everyone Alec had known to date, Loras had no stats. Somehow, they were hidden, preventing him from knowing how strong he really was. Looking at the faces of the audience, made up of first-year students and teachers, no one seemed at all surprised.

  They sat beside a pink-haired girl, her hair tied in a ponytail, with black roots that showed some disinterest in her appearance. She looked tired, with dark circles under her eyes as if they belonged on a bottomless pit, and her lips were cracked from dehydration. Her beauty lay in her delicate features, as in her
honey-colored eyes, her chubby cheeks, or even the way one a few strands of her hair fell down her cheek and she took advantage of it to curl her finger around. Despite looking like a healer, she was a highly trained wizard based on Earth's energy.

  ???

  Class: Wizard

  Specialization: Earth

  HP: 270/270

  Attack: 120 + 30

  Defense: 150 + 40

  Agility: 90

  Wisdom: 200

  Items:

  Terrestrial Muse’s Pendant: + 30 attack

  Boreal Armor: + 40 defense

  The lecture given by the director focused on 3 essential aspects - in the respect that all students must have for each other, in the limits that each one must overcome to become stronger, and on why they want to be there. As soon as it was over, the teachers stood up and clapped, prompting the students to imitate them. Loras thanked everyone for their presence and started a new school year sending a small-sized phoenix flying across the room without harming the students, dropping a brilliant powder, which meant good luck as he explained it. It was the first time that many students opened their mouths, fascinated and surprised by such a huge power demonstration.